EVOLUTION THE MASTER-KEY 







competent as I am to trace its applications for 

 himself, and merely noting that it affords a practi- 

 cal guidance which is lacking to Bentham's prin- 

 ciple when unsupplemented, let us finally take note 

 of the evolutionary assertion as to the ultimate 

 relation between altruism and egoism. We have 

 already observed that the claims of egoism are 

 recognized in the definition of the most highly 

 evolved conduct; and this prepares us for Spen- 

 cer's criticism of the fallacy that there is an in- 

 herent opposition a necessary and irreconcilable 

 antagonism between egoism and altruism. On 

 consideration, the fact that the antagonism is not 

 essential becomes apparent to all. Without labor- 

 ing for the obvious, one may merely cite such an 

 instance as that of husband and wife almost quar- 

 relling because each insists on doing what the other 

 wants. If it gives you more pleasure to give up 

 your pleasure for another's pleasure than to follow 

 your original inclination, is your satisfaction of 

 this higher pleasure egoistic, altruistic, or neither 

 or both? Plainly it is both. Thus the best 

 among us are already approximating and even 

 those who are far from the best do, in their best 

 moments, approximate to that "perfect conduct" 

 daily witnessed in the mother, whose pleasure and 

 welfare are her child's, and who would be miser- 

 able if compelled to follow her own supposed 

 pleasure at the cost of her child's pleasure. Al- 

 ready we not infrequently see not merely a com- 

 promise between egoism and altruism, but the 

 266 



